Apparatus and process for killing human and animal vermin



N. D. RIKER Mmh 1o, 1936.

APPARATUS AND PNocEss FoR KILLING HUMAN AND ANIMAL VERMIN Filed June 5,1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www. A .,1. L

N. D. RIKER March 10, 1936.'

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR KILLING HUMAN AND ANIMAL VERMIN 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed June 3, 1935 INVENTOR emazz Eex n ATTORNEY Patented Mar. ll0.,1936 UNITED STATES 2,033,357 APPARATUS AND' rnoosss Fon mLLmG HUMAN ANDANIMAL vnaMIN Norman n. Riker, mandame, N. Y., signor to LetheiinProducts Company, Inc., Manhasset.

Application June s, 1933. serial No. 614,14:

4 claims. ICI. 11s- 160) This invention relates to an apparatus andprocess for using the'same, for killing human and animal vermin such asPediculus capits,v

Pedculus pubis, and Pediculus corporz's. 5 In carrying out my process, Iuse, in combination with the garments to be hereinafter described, avery volatile liquid in the form' of an organic ester or alcoholcompound which very rapidly becomes a lethal or highly toxic gas uponexposure to the air. It may be stated at this point that thetrade-nameof the liquid I have so far found useful for my purpose is Lethelinwhich is commercial methyl forinate HCOOCHR having aI boiling point ofapproximatelv 31 C., and which of itself is odorless. While thisparticular liquid destroys the insect life at about the same speed ascyanide, it is harmless to human beings and animals. The

liquid evaporates with great rapidity and will penetrate any cloth orother material that is not gas-tight. In other words, the covering orgarment must be gas-tight, although it may not be water-tight, as fortreatment of some animals or fowl, a special paper bag treated with a.slicker material or the like may be used.

It very frequently happens that persons, particularly men, coming intohospitals, night lodging houses, and missionary settlements, areinfasted with vvermin above described, and it is the principal object ofmy invention to provide apparatus and a process for treating thesepersons and exterminating the vermin in a highly expeditious and not atall uncomfortable manner. Animals may be treated in a somewhat similarmanner.

The advantages of my apparatus and process will be more clearly apparentfrom a study of the specication taken in connection with the annexeddrawings wherein:

Figure l shows how the hospital or settlement house, or mission may beprovided with the necessary garments ready to be applied -to theinmates, particularly the newly incoming ones.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a garment adapted to iit the head of ahuman being.

, Figure 3 shows how the human being may be substantially encased withina garment, only the hands and head being exposed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the'line 4 4 ofvFigure 3, showing howthe garment illustrated in Figure 3 may be closed up and renderedgas-tight.

Figure 5 shows the application of a garment in the form of a bag appliedto a dog. Other .types of garments may be made to iit'other animals.

In the drawings, Figure 1i shows the person Ahaving on two styles ofgarments. In this specification, garment" is intended to mean absorbentpad I made of sufficient size to carry .enough of a volatile liquid tokill the vermin in the hair on the head within a few minutes time. Asshown, the pad 3 may be placed directly on I the head, as the particularliquid specied will not harm the hair or scalp, but in. the preferredform of head-garment shown in Figure 2, the top part of the garment I isprovided with a pocket having resilient gripping edges 4 for carryingthe absorbent pad 3.

In this case, the' pad 3 is of relatively stiff material which will holdits shape, and as shown in Figure 2the lower surface of the pad 3 iscompletely exposed; that is, no part of the garment is over it, so thatthe volatile gases coming from the pad will quickly pass downwardly andpermeate through the hair and kill the Pediculus capitis. For example, Ihave found that fifteen minutes in ordinary room temperature issufficient.

Figure 1 also shows a pair of trunks 5, preferably m'ade of a materialthe same as the cap l, having contractable bands E to fit tightly aroundthe legs, and a contractable band 'i fitting around the body, andcarrying an absorbent pad 3, over the hirsute portion -of the monspubis, similar to that shown in the head-gement in Figure 2. y

In Figure 3, a. gas-tight suit is shown drawn over the clothing, onlythe hands and tread being without the suit. In this case. the sleeveshave contractable bands 8 to fit tightly .around the wrists, and thesuit has also a contractable band 9 to fit around the neck. In order toget into this suit, the back is opened. and after the pads 3, two 'ofwhich are shown, are saturated, the material ofthe suit is double-foldedat the seam as shown at. I0 in Figure 4, and.' heldin place by anysuitable number of slidable clips I I. The suit may have a contractableband, as shown by dotted lines I4, to nt around each ankle, so that thefoot portion I5 thereof may not be oi.' itself is odorless, the liquidhaving the char-frequired. Since the gas used will permeatei clothing,all the insects or vermin, carried by the clothing and the part of thebody covered by the clothing, will be exterminated. It is to'beunderstood that after the person has been treated as above outlined, thegarment or garments are removed and may be hung up or put away for thenext patient.

In Figure 5, I have shown a dog enclosed, all but his head, within a bagI2 having a contractable band I3 tting around the dog's neck. The partof the bag over the dogs back carries one or more of the removable pads3 as described in the previous ngures.

Special gas-tight paper bags may be used for treating other smallanimals and even potted house plants.

While I have shown, in Figure 3, a person equipped with a garment in theform of a special suit, the garment may be in the form oi a bag, thesame as shown enclosing-the dog in Figure It is-also to be understoodthat the garments and-process may be used for private purposes, as wellas for the particular purposes set forth in the early part of thisspecincation. For example, sometimes children get affected withhead-lice while at school, and they may be quickly treated at home inthe manner herein described. The process is especially advantageous inprivate treatment for Pediculus pubis, whereby the use of ointments,which soil the clothing, is eliminated by the more direct, easy andleffective treatment herein described.

I claim: l. The process of killing on human beings. vermin ofthe typedescribed herein, whichv consists in taking a ilexible, gas-tightgarment,

.completely enclosing with the garment some time during the process thatpart of the human to beV treated, positioning within the garmentadiacent and above the part to be treated. an absorbent pad and applyingto the pad, at any time before the complete closure of the garment iniinal position, a liquid which gives oiI a vapor heavier than air,isharmless to the skin which acteristicof speedy volatilizaticn -whenexposed to air in a gas-tight enclosure as described and aces-,357

developing a lethal gas which will quickly kill said vermin lwithinthirty minutes or less. 4

2. The process oi killing on live creatures, vermin of the typedescribed herein, which consists in taking a exible gas-tight garmenthaving an. absorbent pad located therewithin above the part tovbetreated, covering a portion of the creature to be treated with saidgarment and applying to said absorbent pad, before the coverage is fullycompleted, a quantity of a highly volatile liquid harmless to the skinof said creatures, such as methyl formate having a boiling point ofapproximately 31 C., and having the property of speedily developingaheavy toxic gas on exposure! toairandwhich will kill all verminwithinthirty minutes or ls.

3. Means for carrying out the herein described process for kiilinghumanand animal vermin of the type described comprising; a liquid harmless tothe skin oi humans and animals and having a boiling point ofapproximately 31C. and developing rapidlyaheavy lethal gas on exposureto air, and a gas-tight ilexible garment to ilt -over a portion ci thehuman o r animal to be treated, said garment having at least one insidepocket positioned facing the portion to be treated. and an absorbent padto receive said liquid and adaptedto be placedin saidpocket sov one-side oi the pad is exposed interiorly oi the garment and which willkill all vermin within v thirty minutes or less.

4. Means'f: carrying out the herein described process for killing humanand animal vermin oi' the-type described comprising: a liquid harinlessto theskin of humans and animals and having a boiling point ofapproximately 31 C.

land developing rapidly a heavy lethal gas oni exposureto air, and agas-tight flexible garment to nt overav portion of 'the human or animalto be treated. said garment having means for ensuring asubstantialair-tight closure over said portion-'whereby said gas of said verminwithin thirty minutes or less and. also having absorbent pad holdingmeans; and an absorbent pad to receive said liquid, said holding meansbeing located so the pad is held abdve'the parttobetreatedandwhichwilildllallyermin within thirty minutes or`less.

' NORMAN D. BIKER.

n CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.'

patent met-35,55?. A i 'March 710,

NORMAN n. BIKER.

' It ifs hereby' certified that error appears in the printed specificatithe above numbered patent requiring 'correction as follows: Page l, t1'column, line 12, after "found" insert moet; page 2, second column, "line31 and 47-48, Aclaims 3 and l4 respectiv'ely, V:strike Out theworde"ad'whi will kill all vermin within thirty minutes or less"; and thatthe said Patent should be .read with these corrections therein thatthesame ma.; lform to the record of the oase -in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed this 21st dayef April, A. D. 193e.

:,Leslie Frazer (Seal) v I Acting Commissionerof Patent

